Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1887-12-08
THE BLACK QUEEN.

she Rules Her Progeny To the Fourth Cen
Grafton The Story OF the Pearsol Family
Near South Florence Ala, lives
colored family, the story of whose ex-
istence is fun OF example for their white
neighbors.
The family is composed of a widowed
mother so years old, daughte Sarah
SO years old, and five sons-viz., John,
who is 80 years old and married Thomas,
IS years old and married; Ben, 40 years
old, unmarried; Richard, 80 years old
and married, and Robert, "a year old and
unmarried. These ages are given in
the start, that it may be known how old
they were the boys especially, at the
time, Of the surrender in 1865 when the
family first realized that they were free
and had TO start out TO plan and labor
TO support themselves, because their
success from that date is one OF the re-
markable features about them. They
were illiterate and full blcoded negroes,
not drop of white blood coursing their
veins.
The mother and all of her children
remained with their old mistress, the
widow Par'hena Peorsol until the close
of the late war; faithfully serving her
wants and wishes, doing all in their
and seoreting her stock in the mountains
near by to keep the federal soldiers or
others from taking them. After the
Surrender they worked on the place as
sharecroppers until the winter of 1869,
and by that time were able TO provide
stock, wagons, and farming implements,
so as TO go TO farming at their own ex-
pense. In the fall OF 1869 they purchas.
ed $50 acres of land of the Pearsol estate
on four years time, for which they paid
mp the last dollar in the fall OF 1884 be-
ing in all $500. In the fall of 1875 they
purchased l60 acres from DR.. William
Jarman, for which they paid cash $500.
SO in five years they paid for $40 acres
of land. SIC, 400 as the net profits of the
FIVE years labor.
Since that time IL has been a harder
struggle for farmers TO accumulate, hut
these industrious negroes have built for
themselves that is those who have fami-
lies good an substantial frame residences,
barns, and all necessars farm improve
ments; also good Clubhouse and cotton
press, with which they gin and bale their
own cotton. They, too, have all neces-
sary stock for the use of farmers horses
mules, colts, and hogs-and are general
ly prepared to pay the cash for whatever
they buy. They have acquired some
education in the meantime, aud those
who have children afford them means and
opportunities 60 obtain an education
which they probably apply.
The aged mother lives with her son
John, and supervises the business trans
actions of all. When the boys sell their
crops she requires each TO deposit with
her the money, after paying debts, If
J any, which they all cheerfully do, calling
, her their banker. When either OF the
, boys needs money he has TO go to his
mother and ted her what he wants TO do
! with IT, If she approves IL, she counts
it out TO him, aud whether she does or
not, il Is agreeable with him, submitting
0 cheorfully ia her decision. The children
j mutually accord to her this prerogatlye
8 and are ~ obedient to her viii AS whom
3 boys 10 years of age, not Only in their
financial business, but they would feel
6 conscientiously disObedient, or as IN
/, dutiful children, il they were Co 90 to-
! town without her permission, which they
8 always obtain before doing so. By such
discipline she brought them up from
. infancy, until IL became part of their
nature TO obey her viii, and perhaps to
] this cause Is attributable all of their sue
, cess. They never frequent political or
r other meetings where disorder is apt to
= occur, don't have disputes with neigh-
3 bors, never were parties to a lawsuit az
I plaintiffs or defendants, and are altogeth-
er peaceable and law abiding citizens,
3 making the most OF their freedom as be-
; comes sensible men, and consequently
, deserve and have won the esteem and
respect of all their peaceable and law
. abiding neighbors, white and black.
e The mother,od rs she is, with the,assist-
anoe OF her daughters and daugbtersin-
: law, spins and weave and make up all the
!. everyday clothing for all the families, and
. she and they live peacefully and harmon
ousy as one family, the females likewise
recognizing her as mother and queen of
the family realm.
Numbers, both white and black, go to
see this colored family. Here il taught
discipline by the head of the family
obedience by the industry and economy
> by all. Their heads we're not turned by
; the song of "Forty Acres and Mule"
the promises of Union leagues, but by
honesty, industry and economy they
|, labored TO live, and this Ia the happy
rpault